Rick Hill is the Valero Alamo Bowl’s VP of Marketing and Communications. Prior to the bowl, Rick spent 6 years working for the Spurs, one season with Missions Baseball and two fruitless months trying to sell season tickets for the S.A. Riders.

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A Wicked Good Deal

The musical “Wicked” is performing to rave reviews at The Majestic through June 28. Ticket prices range from $35.25 to $137.25, but there is a day-of-performance lottery for a limited number of orchestra seats for only $25. For me this lottery was a terrific idea as it put three things I like in one special offer: a great show, an unbelievable bargain and the element of chance. I had to give it try even if I couldn’t con anyone else to go with me.

Casting aside any self-consciousness of seeing my third straight show alone (after Frost-Nixon and The Jersey Boys), I consoled myself that going solo was fine as this was really a research project on ways to conduct possible ticket promotions for the Notre Dame or Valero Alamo Bowl games we’re promoting.

To better my odds of getting a ticket, I picked last night’s show as I hoped a 100 degree Tuesday night would lessen the crowd. The lottery rules state you need to be in line 2 ½ hours prior to show time so I left work around 5:15 p.m. for the 8 p.m. performance and headed to the theater. Lady Luck was on my side as I found a parking meter loaded with time across from the St. Anthony Hotel. My good fortune continued as cutting through Travis Park I crossed paths with a woman who must have started her happy hour before lunch as she pulled up her shirt over her head and flashed me.

On a deadline, I didn’t have time to strike up a conversation or enjoy the scenery so I walked briskly to get my place in line. There were about 50 people waiting with me when the ticket office handed out the entry forms and stamped everyone’s hand. After filling in my personal information, I dropped the form in the “lottery basket” and waited for them to draw names for the tickets at 6 p.m. Initially, I and everyone around me felt good about our chances. The man behind me said, “I feel lucky tonight” to which the lady next him replied “I’ve had a great day and I think I’m going to top it off by getting tickets to this great show. I hear the costumes are unbelievable.” The family of four in front of me was equally optimistic as they figured they had twice as good of a chance of winning because only they needed two of the four forms they were turning in to be drawn to allow them all to see the show. Even with my meager math skills, I didn’t have the heart to tell them if the first 10 names they drew request the allowable maximum of two tickets per winner than we each only have a 20 percent chance of getting tickets.

At 5:59 p.m. the box office manager announced that they were one minute away from starting the selection process and the winners needed to show their identification and have $25 cash per ticket ready. People took out their driver’s licenses and money. Not wanting to jinx my chances or leave myself open to any snatch and grab thieves, I left my wallet in my pocket. The first name drawn was Brenda V. who thrust her hand in the air and shouted “Yes!” Over the next eight names drawn, the closest I got to winning was when they struggled pronouncing Nick Bernall’s name which I thought could be mistaken for Rick Hill given my poor handwriting. I still had hope until the box office manager announced “Gerry” as the last winner prompting Gerry’s daughter to scream “We did it Mom!” Mom was equally excited and turned to the crowd and said “Is this awesome or what?”

I and the 40 other people sweating around me (including the family of four and lady and gentleman I stood with at the beginning) would vote for “or what.” However, our mood improved when the box office manager announced “The show is soldout except for 10-12 scattered singles throughout the theater that we have priced at $37.50 for those who didn’t win the lottery. If you’d like these tickets, please get in line in the box office.” I immediately took three big steps into the doorway and staked my position as most of the 40 who didn’t win wanted in on this offer.

By my count, I was #10 in line for these single seats so again my chances were not good. They divided us into two lines of five in front of two ticket windows. At the back of the box office, I heard two of the winners talking on their cell phones to friends that couldn’t make it so they now each had an extra ticket. Two people behind me in line jumped over to snatch them up so another opportunity was gone.

With one couple ahead of me in my line and one guy in the other line, I heard our ticket seller say there was only one seat in the entire theater left. The couple decided they didn’t want to split up and the guy in the other line asked where the last seat was located. I quickly leaned around the couple and I told my seller “I’ll take it” and slid him my credit card. By the time the guy in the other line decided he wanted the ticket the last one was already printed and in my hand. The man in the next line was crestfallen and snapped at his seller “How could this happen?” I wanted to crack back and tell him “you snooze, you lose” but when I saw his face looked like he just lost his chance for Willy Wonka’s golden ticket I bit my tongue. I felt a tinge of guilt but it quickly passed.

So maybe I didn’t win lottery but I did feel lucky to attend last night’s performance with the last ticket in the whole theater. Both the show and the time I spent getting the ticket were entertaining, although I have to give special shout out to the actress playing Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) as she is now my favorite green skinned character passing Cameron Diaz in Shrek.